What Makes VCBE Different From Other Bird Veterinary Options?
Bird veterinary care can look very different depending on where you go. VCBE offers something beyond a basic bird appointment: a full veterinary hospital built specifically around birds and exotic pets. In fact, VCBE is also the only avian-specialty practice in New York accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association.
Board-Certified Expertise in Avian Medicine
Dr. Laurie Hess is board-certified in Avian Practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). Board certification requires advanced postgraduate training and examination beyond earning a veterinary degree.
Dr. Hess completed an internship and two-year residency in avian and exotic pet medicine and surgery before becoming board-certified in avian practice. Her career has also included avian research, teaching, publishing, and leadership within the Association of Avian Veterinarians.
For bird owners, that means access to a veterinarian whose advanced training and career have centered on avian medicine.
A Team That Works With Birds Every Day
Handling a frightened macaw is a little different from handling a Labrador.
Our doctors and veterinary staff work exclusively with birds and exotic pets and are trained in the handling, restraint, monitoring, nursing care, and medical needs of these species.
That experience matters for everything from safely obtaining a tiny blood sample to recognizing when a bird's behavior during hospitalization isn't quite right.
Around here, your bird isn't the unusual patient. Your bird is exactly the kind of patient our hospital was designed to care for.
Help Doesn't End When the Hospital Closes
Bird emergencies don't always respect business hours.
VCBE offers after-hours emergency phone consultations, including Sundays and after the hospital has closed. Calls are routed through the hospital's emergency answering service so owners with urgent concerns can reach the veterinarian on call.
When appropriate, the veterinarian can discuss the situation with you and help determine the next step, including coordinating with an affiliated 24-hour hospital if your bird needs immediate in-person treatment.
If you're concerned that your bird may be experiencing an emergency, call (914) 864-1414.
What Types of Birds Do Our Veterinarians Treat?
If it chirps, squawks, whistles, clucks, or has strong opinions about where you stand in the household hierarchy, there's a good chance we've met one before.
Our veterinarians care for companion birds, backyard birds, and many other avian species, including:
- African grey parrots
- Amazon parrots
- Macaws
- Cockatoos
- Conures
- Parakeets and budgies
- Cockatiels
- Lovebirds
- Finches
- Canaries
- Pigeons and doves
- Chickens
- Ducks
- Other pet and companion birds
Bird species can differ dramatically in their nutrition, housing, social needs, normal behavior, and medical concerns. We tailor recommendations to your bird's species, age, health history, lifestyle, and home environment rather than taking a one-bird-fits-all approach.
Does a Healthy Bird Need a Veterinary Exam?
Yes. Birds should receive regular veterinary examinations even when they appear perfectly healthy.
A wellness exam helps establish what's normal for your individual bird — including weight, body condition, feather quality, and behavior — so subtle changes can be easier to recognize later.
It's also a chance to talk about the parts of bird ownership that don't always fit neatly into a medical chart:
- Is that cage setup working?
- Is the diet balanced?
- How much sleep should your bird get?
- Is that new behavior normal?
- Does your bird need more enrichment?
- Why is every healthy vegetable immediately launched onto the floor?
New birds should also receive an examination after joining your household, particularly if you already have other birds. Some infectious diseases can be present before obvious symptoms develop.
What Should I Feed My Bird?
The best diet depends on the species, age, lifestyle, and health of your bird. Many companion parrots benefit from a nutritionally balanced formulated diet paired with appropriate fresh foods rather than a heavily seed-based diet.
During your bird's appointment, we can talk about:
- Pelleted or formulated foods
- Seeds and nuts
- Fresh vegetables and other appropriate foods
- Portion sizes
- Treats
- Foraging
- Weight management
- Supplements when medically indicated
And this is an area where our animal hospital has some serious bird-nerd credentials.
Dr. Laurie Hess has a longstanding professional interest in exotic-pet nutrition and conducted published research on pelleted diets in birds. She is board-certified in Avian Practice, has published extensively on birds and exotic pets, and spent many years as associate editor of the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery.
In other words, if your bird has somehow convinced the entire family that sunflower seeds constitute a balanced food pyramid, we're happy to talk.
Why Is My Bird Acting Differently?
Bird behavior can change because of hormones, boredom, fear, stress, household changes, social dynamics, inadequate sleep, learned behavior, or illness.
We can help evaluate concerns such as:
- Excessive screaming
- Biting
- Aggression
- Feather damaging behavior
- Territorial behavior
- Sudden fearfulness
- Repetitive behaviors
- Changes in interaction
- Changes in normal vocalization
Because behavioral changes can sometimes be an early sign of illness, ruling out a medical problem is an important first step. Once health concerns have been addressed, we can discuss enrichment, foraging, sleep, cage placement, training, household routines, and social interaction.
Can You Help Me Travel With My Bird?
Yes. Our federally accredited veterinarians can provide qualifying domestic and international health certificates for birds.
Requirements vary considerably depending on where you're going and may include:
- Veterinary examinations
- Health certificates
- Infectious disease testing
- Microchipping
- Quarantine periods
- Government forms
- Airline documentation
Some countries require testing, permits, or waiting periods that can take considerable time. Contact the appropriate airline and destination authorities well before travel so you know exactly what's required.
Do You Offer Bird Boarding?
Yes. VCBE provides boarding specifically for birds and other exotic pets in Bedford Hills.
Our team is present every day to care for boarding patients, and pets are fed and their enclosures cleaned regularly during their stays. Owners are encouraged to provide familiar food and detailed instructions about their pet's routine.
Birds must meet our current species-specific examination and health-screening requirements before boarding, so contact us well before your trip, especially during holidays and busy travel seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bird Care
Birds molt when they replace older or damaged feathers with new ones. The timing, duration, and intensity of a molt vary by species, age, health, nutrition, season, environment, and daylight exposure.
Parrots scream because vocalization is one of the ways they communicate. They may be seeking attention, responding to excitement, expressing fear, reacting to hormones, announcing that you've left the room for an unacceptable 12 seconds, or simply communicating with their “flock.” Sudden or excessive screaming can also occur with stress or illness. Schedule an examination if your parrot's vocal behavior changes unexpectedly or occurs along with appetite, activity, weight, breathing, or droppings changes.
Common pet birds include budgies or parakeets, cockatiels, finches, canaries, lovebirds, conures, African grey parrots, Amazon parrots, cockatoos, and macaws. Each has very different expectations for lifespan, space, diet, enrichment, social interaction, veterinary care, and noise.
Maybe! Some birds are talented vocal mimics, while others have absolutely no interest in reciting your favorite phrases. African greys, Amazon parrots, budgies, and several other parrot species are known for learning words and sounds. Repetition, positive interaction, and rewards can encourage vocal learning, but every bird is an individual.
A parakeet may shake briefly because of excitement, fear, temperature changes, stretching, or normal feather movements. Persistent trembling can also occur with illness, weakness, stress, or discomfort.